Frank Bellamy is still being published!

Look closely!

Over on my newly renamed Frank Bellamy Artwork Facebook page I often throw links to Bellamy I've found,  or recent news stories I don't think worth adding an article here about. But today I'm inspired to draw several threads (bad pun) together.

A young Paul Merton lookalike?

John Freeman and Jonathan Wyke alerted me to the fact that Bellamy jumpers (and scarves gentlemen!) are now available. But watch your bank account before hitting that Pay button! I'd love to know why Lou Dalton printed them in black and white and not colour.

Scarves

For some great images (and an appreciation of Thunderbirds) see Nick Carvell, the Fashion Editor of GQ.co.uk page. I'm still amazed that people who produce Bellamy materials don't send me free copies to promote their products but maybe it's because I do it anyway! I won't be buying the jumpers or the scarves, as they cost quite a bit, the jumpers, £250 and the scarves, £120.They are available to buy exclusively online at Lou Dalton for obsessive fans!

Both products are in three colours: bottle green, dirty pink (!) and white and they suggest you could wear them with their neoprene funnel neck blouson (see image at top of this article). Personally that image doesn't work for me with the Parthal's plane shooting downwards.But my family will tell you I know nothing about fashion! My eldest daughter tells me off if she thinks I should buy a new 'going-out' shirt! Anyway I apologise for not crediting the photographer as I couldn't find his/her name. As Jonathan points out they didn't credit Frank Bellamy either!

Thunderbirds duvet with Bellamy artwork

Moving swiftly on there's also a duvet cover using Bellamy's artwork which is a lot cheaper at £29 (and I hesitate to ask my wife to sew two singles together!). For those who need to know, the Thunderbirds Single Duvet Set includes one duvet cover and one pillow case made of polycotton and is machine washable and is available easily online from Isme and sister site Very.This reminded me that I saw something by Bellamy previously used as a duvet cover and after asking on Facebook, Shaqui came back with one of his 'Easter eggs' from his wonderful site:

If anyone has a copy - or a photo - Shaqui and I would love to see it. It was being sold by Undercover of Deer Park, Gnosall, Staffordshire in 1992.

This of course brings us back to the clothing line above which uses Bellamy's designs from the story that appeared in TV Century 21 #141 - 146 (30 September 2067 - 4 November 2067), "The Earthquake Maker" written, we believe by Scott Goodall. The story is about a man called Parthal who creates eathquakes!


As you've stayed this long you deserve to see the printed story from which some of the above artwork originates.

TV21 #146 Art by Frank Bellamy

TV21 #146 Art by Frank Bellamy

And finally back to books. Lew Stringer spotted that a second volume of Thunderbirds the classic comic collection is due in November. Amazon has some details Thunderbirds The Comic Collection Volume 2.  The cover looks to be by Graham Bleathman and the details are somewhat thin, (witnessed by the following, "Warning: Not suitable for children under 3 years. For use under adult supervision") so I'll add more when they become a bit clearer, but the blurb sounds promising:
 Fifty years after Thunderbirds first blasted off onto British TV, discover the comic strips that captured the thrill and excitement of the cult TV series in spectacular style. This dazzling collection features the first twelve comic strips illustrated by the legendary Frank Bellamy originally published in the 1960’s.
  

Due in November 2015

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Egmont (5 Nov. 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1405279214
• ISBN-13: 978-1405279215
• Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 2.4 x 28 cm